Theresa May is set to announce a £75m research and care plan to to help thousands of men with prostate cancer get treated earlier and faster in a bid to stop the rise in the number who die from the disease every year.

During a visit to a hospital in Cambridgeshire on Tuesday, the Prime Minister will say the project will focus on early diagnosis, innovative new treatments and care for men with prostate cancer.
Over 40,000 patients will be recruited for more than 60 studies into prostate cancer over the next five years to test treatments including more precise radiotherapy, high-intensity focused ultrasound, cryotherapy, alongside supportive interventions including exercise and dietary advice.

“Too many people endure the loss of a loved one because cancer diagnosis comes too late in the day.”

Theresa May

It is still not yet known why prostate cancer is more common in men of African-Caribbean or African descent, and less common in men of Asian descent. The new studies will therefore particularly target higher risk groups including black men – one in four of whom will develop the disease – as well as men aged 50 or over and men with a family history of prostate cancer.

Ahead of the visit, Mrs May said: “Too many people endure the loss of a loved one because cancer diagnosis comes too late in the day. Our cancer treatments are world class and survival rates are at a record high, but prostate cancer still claims thousands of lives every year. I know we can do more. That’s why I am setting out new plans to help thousands of men get treated earlier and faster.”

For many men with prostate cancer no treatment will be necessary according to the NHS, which encourages “watchful waiting” to keep an eye on the cancer and starting treatment only if the cancer shows signs of getting worse or causing symptoms. Treatments for those who need it include radiotherapy, hormone therapy and surgically removing the prostate, an invasive procedure that results in side effects. Many men have sought more innovative treatment abroad, such as proton therapy, which is not yet available on the NHS for treating prostate cancer.

‘New hope’

Health and Social Care Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: “Prostate cancer claims too many lives every year and our ability to detect and treat it in the very early stages is crucial in fighting this disease. The plans announced today will refocus our efforts to develop new treatments and will give men with prostate cancer, and their families, hope of survival. The NHS is a world leader in fighting cancer and survival rates are at record highs but there is still more to do – this research will ensure that many more lives are saved.”

Dr Iain Frame, director of research at PCUK, said: “With increased research investment used wisely, over the next few years we can make prostate cancer a disease men no longer need to fear.

“Today’s announcement.. at last shows recognition of what a huge issue prostate cancer is and the focus needed to stop it being a killer. We look forward to finding out more about the plans laid out by the Prime Minister. By working together and pooling our resources we will be able to save more lives more quickly and build a better future for men.”

“The plans announced today will refocus our efforts to develop new treatments and will give men with prostate cancer, and their families, hope of survival.”

She said: “Now in its 70th year, our NHS has a bright future – since last November, we have already committed £10bn in new funding, including a new pay deal for one million NHS workers. In fact, as part of our balanced approach to managing the economy we have increased spending on the health service every year since 2010.

“But I’m clear the way to secure the NHS’s future is having a long-term plan, with sustainable multi-year funding. To inform this, I’ll be meeting doctors, nurses and other NHS staff today to understand the challenges they face and discuss how we can effectively meet the demands of the future.”

Some 11,819 men died from prostate cancer in 2015 – up from 9,460 two decades ago. The rise is mainly due to an increasing and ageing population, but years of prostate cancer being the poor relation when it comes to funding for research to find a cure appear to have taken their toll. Since 2002 prostate cancer has received a total of just over £227m for research – less than half the £529m invested in breast cancer.

In addition, there have been half the number of prostate cancer studies published over the last 20 years compared to breast cancer studies. Despite the alarming figures, the shift does not represent a worsening situation for prostate cancer and men diagnosed today are 2.5 times more likely to live for ten years or more than if they were diagnosed in 1990.

Although deaths from prostate cancer have been rising in recent years, the mortality rate or the proportion of men dying from the disease has fallen – by 6 per cent – between 2010 and 2015. By comparison, the breast cancer mortality rate fell by over 10 per cent during that time.

The most commonly used tests for prostate cancer are blood tests, a physical examination of your prostate (known as a digital rectal examination or DRE) and a biopsy. The blood test, known as a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, measures the level of PSA and may help detect early prostate cancer. Men are not routinely offered PSA tests to screen for prostate cancer, as results can be unreliable.

Despite it being the most common cancer in men, as recently as 2013 prostate cancer was 20th in the league table of UK cancer research funding per case diagnosed. Latest data from 2015/2016, compiled by the National Cancer Research Institute Cancer Research Database, suggests prostate cancer funding has now much improved since then.

Prostate Cancer UK estimates that £120m is needed for research over the next eight years to halve the number of prostate cancer deaths expected by 2026.

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